A Guilford native is bringing some of the biggest names in soccer today to bring smiles to faces in a town devastated by the tragic Sandy Hook shooting.

Mia Hamm, LA Galaxy star Landon Donovan, Alexi Lalas, Christie Rampone, Eric Wynalda, and dozens of others will be in Connecticut on Monday night for Soccer Night in Newtown, an event exclusively for residents of Newtown.

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Chris Canetti, a Guilford native and president of the Houston Dynamo, put the event together with help from Eric Da Costa, head coach of the Quinnipiac University soccer men's soccer team, according to MLS Soccer.com.

It was born of a desire to do something to help and players representing Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, LA Galaxy, New England Revolution, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders, Sporting Kansas City and Vancouver Whitecaps will attend.

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Children and families will have the opportunity to meet with members of Major League Soccer and the U.S. National team between 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Canetti told Sports Illustrated that the original idea was to hold a clinic, but it has grown so far beyond that and around 1,200 people are expected to attend. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/news/20130105/soccer-night-in-newtown-canetti/